France: smoke free January 1st !

France. The country I love. And I will love it even more after Jan 1st 2008. Everywhere, and i mean everywhere (even nightclubs and especially bars & pubs) will be smoke free.

Italy's done it. Ireland's done it. And although the moaning of the smokers and their "rights" was heard loud and clear they were indeed shushed away. Too bad for you. And the catastrophic effects of making establishments non-smoking were never felt. Much hoopla and no follow-through. Smokers would boycott. Smokers would ignore the law. Smokers would......go outside.

And now too bad for you, french puffers, french conaisseurs de tabac, french ashtray lickers.

I can't wait. Now really. Isn't this the best for everyone? I've heard that even for smokers this helps / encourages them to not smoke as much. That's just awful, I do indeed sympathize. It's terrible: not spending as much money on cigarettes, not getting cancer as fast, not stinking like a big butt when they get home....

So, what will this change for me? There are at least four or five gorgeous cafés in Rouen that i don't go to because they are smoke bowls. Our local pub i have shy-ed away from a few times because i don't want the sinus grossness the next day. And how about just the ridiculous vengeance of making smokers physically get up and excommunicate themselves outside.

It's so close now - i can smell it!